Many times, a credit counselor can offer insights into your financial situation that you may not see on your own. They may see obvious ways you can cut your spending that you may have overlooked, for example. Their extensive knowledge of debt relief options also makes them ideal mentors for consumers who need professional help when it comes to assessing their debts and figuring out a plan that will work.
NDR is a great place to turn to if you find yourself deep in financial woes. In my case it occurred via hardships but I can see where I was fiscally irresponsible before the hardships. No judgment from the employees, just good advice and definitely help. They are familiar with and have worked with most financial organizations. Got me a deal with my highest creditor within months of joining. Definitely recommend

It could also help to reach out to a debt counselor or financial planner to take steps toward getting your finances in order, or at least developing a game plan for getting back on track, McClanahan said. “If the debt is beyond your means, you might also want to explore bankruptcy or whatever it might take to turn your situation around,” she said. A professional can help you weigh the pros and cons of different options.

Debt negotiation: If you choose this option, National Debt Relief will negotiate with your lenders in order to either lessen your debt or make it easier for you to make payments without incurring a lot of fees and interest. Since National Debt Relief has been around so long, they have a good track record with various lenders and have the relationships built for good negotiations.

It is also important to know that National Debt Relief uses a company called Global Client Solutions to manage your payments as a third party processor and trust account servicer. This company has a history of working with many debt settlement companies who have been sued in the state of Washington and across the country for violating various debt adjusting and consumer protection laws. Global Client Solutions has also been sued itself on a national level by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and in the state of Washington.

Take advantage of free credit counseling. The best kept secret in the debt management industry is that you can do most of the things debt management agencies do and avoid paying their fees. Credit counseling is a mandatory prerequisite to enrolling in a DMP. Credit.org offers credit counseling at no charge. Many debtors find that credit counseling alone can help set them on the path to being debt free.[2]

However, not all credit counseling agencies are created equal. While some are accredited nonprofits, others are for-profit ventures that charge high fees and use questionable tactics, such as asking clients to dispute legitimate debts on credit reports or pay to become an authorized user on a stranger's credit card. Unscrupulous agencies may drain the wallets of already cash-strapped families and fail to address the underlying issues like budgeting, which are needed to ensure long-lasting financial success.
How Is Debt Negotiation Different From Bankruptcy? Bankruptcy is an option that is generally treated as a last resort. It will remain on your credit report for 10 years & you can be denied employment, state licenses, insurance, as well as tenancy of an apartment. Most importantly, you can be denied virtually any type of credit with a bankruptcy on your report for several years. In addition, since the bankruptcy laws have changed recently, it is even more difficult to qualify for Chapter 7, the method of liquidating assets to eliminate your debt. You will not be allowed to discharge alimony, child support, taxes, student loans, judgments, or any loan on the bankruptcy petition. Under Chapter 13 bankruptcy, your debt payments are simply restructured meaning you will still have to pay a percentage of your debts while you suffer the consequences of bankruptcy. Debt negotiation is an alternative to bankruptcy.
Take advantage of free credit counseling. The best kept secret in the debt management industry is that you can do most of the things debt management agencies do and avoid paying their fees. Credit counseling is a mandatory prerequisite to enrolling in a DMP. Credit.org offers credit counseling at no charge. Many debtors find that credit counseling alone can help set them on the path to being debt free.[2]
Some of these debt reductions solutions as well as assistance programs are offered by credit card issuers, private companies, non-profit counselors, banks and other organizations. Banks, medical providers, credit card companies as well as other lenders are more willing than ever to help a household get their finances under control. They would rather be able to collect some of the outstanding debt from the borrower rather than see them file bankruptcy or somehow contest it, in which case the lender gets nothing.
If your credit card interest rates are so high it feels almost impossible to make headway on your balances, it’s worth calling your card issuer to negotiate. Believe it or not, asking for lower interest rates is actually quite commonplace. And if you have a solid history of paying your bills on time, there’s a good possibility of getting a lower interest rate.
Whether you’re worried about being able to make ends meet, considering filing for bankruptcy, or just totally lost about the debt relief process, give us a call. Our specialty is connecting you with trained experts who are able to help you get the debt relief you want regardless of your specific situation. Better yet, the advice we give is always 100% free!
On the plus side, if you pay off a card balance that’s close to the credit limit, you may improve your “utilization ratio”—the ratio that compares your credit limits with the balances you currently have—provided you leave the card open after paying it off. But simply moving balances from one card to another is unlikely to do a whole lot for your scores.

If you are overwhelmed by debt, you might consider hiring a debt settlement company to help you. Debt settlement companies negotiate payments with each of your creditors. You then pay a monthly sum to the debt settlement company, who distributes your payment among your creditors. By doing this, you can get out of debt faster. Here’s a breakdown of how the companies compare against each other and other debt relief companies.

Yes, but this is a real commitment of time and resources. Here is how it works. List all your debts (except your mortgage) from smallest to largest. Pay the minimum due on all debts, but the smallest. Attack the smallest debt with as much money as you have available — $100 a month, for example – until it is paid off. When that is paid off, take the $100 a month, plus whatever the minimum you were paying on the second smallest debt, combine them and go after the second debt. Keep repeating until you have gone through each debt. The idea is to gain momentum in your bill paying by having success.

Why don’t you qualify for IBR or PAYE? Is it because your income is too high to reduce your payments? If that’s the case, and you’ve exhausted all your options, then I am at a loss in terms of what to suggest other than to encourage you to continue to pay as much as you can and check back into those programs from time to time to see if requirements have changed. Student loan debt is an enormous problem and for many there is no simple solution.

It’s also worth noting that working with debt counselors doesn’t negatively impact your ability to qualify for new financing. Even if you enroll in a debt management program, you can still get approved for loans, such as a mortgage or an auto loan. You can’t open new credit accounts during enrollment. However, you can get approved for major financing to purchase a home or car or to fund a higher education. This way, you don’t have to put your life on hold while you pay off your credit card debt.
For most people who are struggling with debt, non-profit credit counseling is the better option. You pay fewer out-of-pocket costs, which can be helpful. That last thing you need as you get out of debt is a big bill. If you’re looking for non-profit counseling services, fill out the form at the top of this page. Debt.com only refers you to the best accredited non-profit consumer credit counseling services.
Contact your bank and stop payments to the agency servicing your debt management program as soon as you become aware the agency has shut down. You should immediately contact the creditors involved and ask if you could continue paying them directly or would they work out another payment plan. Also, ask for a credit report and verify that previous payments you made to the DMP agency were sent to your creditors. If payments were missed, there could be some negative consequences to your credit score. Finally, you could contact a nonprofit credit counseling agency and ask them to intervene on your behalf with your creditors.